Improvement in revolving ordnance



N. L. MILBURINL Rvolving Ordnance Patented Sept. 4, 1866.

Fig.1.

Witnesses: I %%%6 Y to fit and turn upon the pm part of the invertedT-shaped bolt shown in- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHAN L. MILBUltN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVOLVING ORDNANCE.

To all whom' itmay concern.-

Be it known that I, NATHAN L. MILBURN,

of the city and county of- St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Repeating-Ordnance; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription 'of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is acentral vertical section of a field-piece constructed abcordiug to myin- -vention; Fig. 2, a plan of, the same; Fig. 3, a front view of theelevating mechanism, and Fig. afront view of the central pin. I

imilar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

My invention relates to ordnance having several barrelsracliating in thesame plane from a common axis occupying a vertical position, or onlydeviating from such position so far as is necessary for the elevation ofthe barrels. Itoonsists in an improved mode of supporting such series ofbarrels upon the "carriage, which provides for their revolution to admitof their being fired successively, and also of their being elevated toany desirable degree; also, in certain means of providing for theelevation of the several barrels and secur ing them in any positions ina circle round the Y axis from which they radiate.

To enable others to make and use my invention, I will proceed todescribe its construction and operation. I

A is thelcarriage, having attached to it a fixed axle, B, fitted withtwo large wheels, 0 (l, and a guide-axle, l),ti1rning on 'a kingbolt, a,and fitted with two smaller wheels, E E, On that end of the carriageover. the smaller wheels there is secured the gunners platform I, ofnearly circular form, having uponit ammunition-boxes J J.

F1? are the barrels, attached'rigidly to a ceheral perpendicular socket,G which is bored 8, which forms Figs. 1 and 4.

concentric ring, H, connected by rigid arms l l with the socket G, eachbarrel being furnished with two lugs, d (7, through which it is boltedor riveted to the said ring by bolts or rivets e e.

MM are two elevating-screws arranged side by side, both screwing throughtapped holes in a rocking bar, K, which is made with journals m m at itsends, and arranged parallel with the trunnions 0 c in hearings on thecarriage A. fitted with swivels f f, which are connected by pin-jointswith a curved bar, L, which is concentric with the axis of the pin 1),and the said screws are geared together by two sprocket-wheels, gg, ofequal size, and an end less chain, 71, so that when-one is turned theother will be caused to turn in the same dimotion, that bothmay operatetogether to raise or 'lower the said bar L. The said bar is made withits outer edge of beveled or half dovetail form, as shown in the sectionFig. 1, and each one of the barrels F F has attached to its under side ascrew-clamp, p q, to. fit the said bar, which is of such length that, inthe revolution of the barrels "with the central socket G, onescrew-clamp will always be upon the said bar'and not leave it tillanother arrives upon it. I

The operation of the gun is as follows: The barrels are loaded by thegunner or gunners on the platform I, each being in turn brought to asuitable position by turning the whole series either by hand or bysuitable mechanism, and each is fired on its arrival over the spacebetween the wheels 0 0, being sighted by a gunner on the platform, andbeing secured in position by screwing up the screw got the clamp-pg,which is upon the bar I. A

The proper elevation is obtained by turn'-. ing one of thescrews M M,the said screws operating togetherto raise or lower the bar I, as beforedescribed, and the center-bolt b c a swinging on its trunnions'c c, andthe bar 'K oscillating in its bearings to permit the adjustment. I

'When the proper elevation'has been obtained by one barrel, theelevation of the others will be correct on their arrival in position forfiring.

, This gun has many advantages, among which The heads it not thesescrews are.

the most prominent are the following: the facility afi'orded'for loadingsecond, the provisiena made for rapidly-repeated; firing Withoutoverheating sighting withoutzmoying the em'riage; fourth, the economy oflabor in working it. 7

What I claim a my invention,m'1d desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

' l. The arrangement of the radiating series of barrels to revolve uponaleentral pin, b,

lfumiehed with trunnio'us'e c;ahd. a 1')p1ied to 7 Qpemte substantiallyas herein specified.

third, the facility for.

- 2. The-combination of bhecurvedfbar L, the screws 1 M,- the rock-shaftK, and the clamps p q, the hole applied, in eombinetiemwith thebarrels'end carriage; to operate substantiellye herein set; forth. f

A DIATHNL. MILBU'RE. Wi tnesees i JmsMmme GEQ:,:WIGLEY.

